Ready transfer reel



May 14, 1968 R. M. VADAS ET AL 3,383,066

READY TRANSFER REEL Filed Oct. 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTUREROBERT M. VA DAS' AGENT May 14, 1968 R. M. VADAS ET AL 3,383,066

READY TRANSFER REEL Filed Oct. 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 23 I i 79 IM 373 29 HQ .21 I 28 26 l \20 30 43 F: 1 K L' I 40 NU? 36 55 42 a I 37INVENTORQ ROBERT M. VADAS ADU RANDPALU AGEIN'l United States Patent 03,383,066 READY TRANSFER REEL Robert M. Vadas, Montreal, Quebec, andAtlu Randpalu,

La Salle, Quebec, Canada, assignors to Dominion Engineering WorksLimited, Lachine, Quebec, Canada,

a corporation of Canada Filed Oct. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 588,153 8 Claims.(Cl. 242-65) This invention is directed to a reel bar transferarrangement, and in particular to an arrangement of reel bar supportframes for use with a reel drum of a paper reeling machine.

In the manufacture of paper which is generally a continuous flow processit is necessary to provide a spool or reel 'bar on which thecontinuously moving sheet of paper can be rolled for subsequent handlingand re-rolling. Owing to the large lengths of paper involved thediameter and mass of rolled paper increases at a rapid rate, and inorder to facilitate control of the tension of the paper it is usual tomove the growing roll from an initial reeling position above the reeldrum to a secondary position beside the reel drum, where the weight ofthe paper and reel bar is rendered substantially ineffective.

In the secondary position a fluid actuator provides a transverse forceagainst the bearings of the reel bar to maintain the desired nippressure to provide constant tension on the paper.

In operation and especially at a start-up of the paper machine, itsometimes happens that the first quantity of paper on the roll may notbe of the required quality in which case continuance of reeling ontothat roll will result in a large quantity of spoilage. Previousarrangements of reel transfer arms provide a retaining arm fixedlymounted on each primary arm and extending parallel therewith to form abight portion or U extending upwardly, with the primary arm in theinitial upright position. On movement of the reel bar support framedownwardly into the horizontal position, with the reel bar supportedupon the secondary tracks provided for that purpose it is still notpossible to withdraw the primary support arm means to the desiredinitial position, until such time as the paper reel increases indiameter to a sufiicient extent to displace the reel bar bearing pastits point of contact with the retaining arm.

In prior attempts to overcome the drawbacks inherent in such a retainingarm structure, means have been provided to retract the retaining armconstituting one upright leg of the retaining U section, in a directionradially inward along the primary arm towards the common axis with thereel drum, but such prior efforts have not been very successful, andhave not provided reel bar primary arm means that can be readily andrapidly moved from the secondary or horizontal position back to theprimary or upright position while at the same time maintaining aneffective nip with the reel drum.

The present invention provides reel bar retaining means mounted on reelbar support frames to provide continuous reeling in positions rangingfrom the primary vertical position to the secondary horizontal position,while at the same time being capable of withdrawal from the secondaryposition to the primary position, thus permitting the relinquished reelbar to continue reeling in the secondary position. Thus, a second reelbar can be placed above the reel drum in secured relation with the endframes, while the first reel bar continues winding of the paper web.When the quality or quantity of paper wound on the reel is such that achange of reel bar is required, operation of an air jet providesseverance and upward deflection of the paper web, to commence reeling onthe second reel mounted in the primary posi- 3,383,966 Patented May 14,1968 tion, while the first reel can then be removed from the secondaryposition without interrupting the winding process.

What has been provided, in a reel bar transfer arrangement for use witha reeling machine having a reel drum rotatable about the main axisthereof, with a pair of reel bar support frames positioned adjacent theends of said drum in cooperative reel bar supporting arrangement to movea said reel bar between a first, substantially upright loading positionand a second, substantially horizontal withdrawal position, is a pair ofsupport frames, each comprising: a primary frame portion pivotablymountable adjacent said reel drum for angular movement relative theretoin a plane normal to the drum main axis, having a fixed reel bar contactsurface located in a downward facing direction when the frame is in thesecond position, to permit unrestricted withdrawal of the primary framefrom .a reel bar bearing on moving in the direction from the framesecond position towards the frame first position; and reel bar bearingkeep means mounted on the frame portion for movement relative theretofrom a closed position overlying a portion of the reel bar bearing, inwhich the reel bar bearing is secured to the frame by contact of thekeep means against an outer portion of the bearing remote from the fixedcontact surface, to an open position in which the reel bar bearing maybe loaded on or off the frame, or the frame may be substantially freelywithdrawn from the reel bar bearing by withdrawal movement in thedirection from the frame second position to the frame first position,whereby withdrawal movement of the support frame may be effectedindependently of the wound condition of the reel bar.

An embodiment of the present invention is described by way of example,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGUREv l is a front perspective view of a paper reeling arrangementembodying reel bar retaining means according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view in part section taken in the direction 2-2 ofFIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing a reel in anintermediate position.

Referring first to FIGURES 2 and 3, the reel drum 15 rotatably mountedin end bearings 16 and rotatably driven by a means not shown receives apaper web 17 passing under a guide roll 18. A reel bar 19 mounted inreel bar support frame means 20 is initially located above the reel drum15, being secured to the primary arm means 21 of the reel bar supportframe 20 by the hearing keep means 23.

The reel bar 19 is initially supported clear of the reel drum 15, beingmounted on a reel bar support pedestal 42 which has a substantiallyhorizontal support face 43 receiving the bearing housing of the reelbar. When the reel bar 19 has been brought up to winding speed by anauxiliary belt, horizontal movement rearwardly, in an anti-clockwisedirection as seen in FIGURE 2, brings the periphery of the reel bar 19into driven contact with the periphery of the reel drum 15, so that thepaper web 17 passing therebetween can be wound onto the reel bar 19 andis then continuously wound at a substantially constant tension.Initially tension is provided partly by the weight of the reel bar andpartly by cylinder 37 of bearin g keep means 28. The support frames 20are then moved anticlockwise until a horizontal position is reached, atwhich time the load of the reel bar 19 is taken by secondary tracks :75,while the desired radially inward loading necessary to maintain reelingcontact between the reel bar and the reel drum is provided by secondaryloading means 56. When this condition is reached, the bearing keep means28 can then be freely withdrawn from securing re- 0, ,3 lation with thebearings of the reel bar 19, thus permitting the support frame primaryarm means 21 to be rotated clockwise from the horizontal secondary tothe vertical primary position. When the primary position is againreached it is then possible to mount a second reel bar 19 on the su portpedestals 42 in secured relation with the primary arm means 21.Actuation of an air jet (not shown) to sever the paper web from thefirst reel bar 19, now mounted on the secondary tracks 55', permitsreeling of the continuously moving web 17 to be continued on the secondreel bar, when that bar has been brought up to speed by an auxiliarybelt drive, by moving the second reel bar off the pedestal 42 intoreeling contact with the reel drum 15, the paper web 17 being biownupwardly by the air blast to encircle the second rotating reel bar 19.

The reel bar support frame means 20 comprises a primary arm 21 having apivotal bearing housing 22 at one end and a recess 23 at the outer end,A hearing contact surface 26 provides an elongated surface along whichthe bearing housing of the reel bar 19 can move in a downward loadingdirection, as the reel is initially lowered into the primary reelingposition, the bearing keep means 23 being retracted upwardly intohousing recess 23.

The bearing keep means 28 includes an arm member 259 pivotally mountedon a pivot 30 secured to the primary arm means 21, and having a hookportion 31 at the outer end thereof. A steady roller 32 mounted on thearm 29 serves to locate the reel bar bearing housing, and appliesprimary loading to the reel bar, in conjunction with a portion of thehook 31.

The keep means 28 is controllably positioned by means of a keep actuator35 connected thereto by an actuator pin 33. The actuator 36 comprises acylinder 37 having an end pivotal mount 33; a piston 39 extendingtherefrom, the outer end 49 thereof being secured to the pin 33 attachedto the arm 29.

A pressure limiting vaive in the control circuit of the actuator 36permits the keep means 28 to back-off as the reel grows in diameter,thus moving the reel bar 19 radially outwardly in relation to the reeldrum.

It will be seen that operation of the keep actuator produces pivoting ofthe bearing keep arm about the pivot 30 to provide engagement ordisengagement with a reel bar bearing housing.

The primary arm 21 is pivotally positioned by means of a primary armactuator having a cylinder 46 and a piston 47 with the ends thereofpivotally mounted at 48 and 49 respectively, the piston 47 beingconnected with a bell disc 21, connected to the primary arm 21.

In the initial position of a reel bar 19, the bar is verticallysupported upon the pedestal 42, in conjunction with the bearing keepmeans 28 which retains the reel bar bearing housing secured in lockedrelation with the primary arm 21. Anti-clockwise movement of the primaryarm 21, on actuation of the actuator 45, produces driving contactbetween the outer periphery of the reel drum 15 and the outer peripheryof the reel bar 19, the paper web 17 passing between the nip so formedContinued operation of the primary arm actuator 45 results ultimately inthe positioning of the reel bar 19 in supported relation upon thesecondary tracks at which time the bearing keep means 28 can beretracted by operation of the keep actuator 36 to the open position, inwhich condition the primary arm 21 may then be freely rotated clockwiseto the upright primary position, thus permitting a second reel bar 19 tobe mounted upon the support pedestal 42 for a repetition of the reelingcycle.

The reeling cycle can meanwhile continue with the first reel bar 19 nowmoving horizontally on the secondary tracks 55 under transverse controlof the secondary loading means 56, as the size of the reel grows.

The descent of a reel bar 19 from the primary or top position to thehorizontal or secondary position relative to the reel drum 15 iseffected by the primary arm actuator 45 acting on bell disc 21'.

A particular advantage afforded by the present invention is that falsestarts, when the paper Web is unduly wet or any other unsatisfactorycondition, may be readily accommodated without interrupting theoperation of the paper machine, while at the same time being limited inminimum time duration only by the rate at which the primary arm meanscan be moved from the primary position to the secondary position, thebearing keep means 28 retracted, and the primary arm means moved back tothe primary position, as compared with former practice wherein a largequantity of paper had to be wound on the first reel bar 19 before theprimary arm means 21 could be withdrawn to the starting position topermit a fresh start.

The present invention provides a fail-safe reel transfer arrangement bythe provision of book portions 31 which each constitute an over-centreretaining abutment for rolls of normal wound size.

In the event of depressurization of the keep actuator 36, the reelbearing housing is retained within the hook portions 31, owing to thegeometry of the arrangement, regardless of the angular position of theframe means 20 about the reel drum axis, intermediate the primary andsecondary position.

The roll member 32 rotatably mounted on the hook 28, and bearing againstthe bearing housing in substantially opposing relation to the hookportion 31, provides a component of primary force for the creation ofdesired nip pressure, while serving to maintain the bearing housingclear of rubbing engagement with the guideway 26.

Synchronization of the operation of the pair of reel arms 20 is providedby a pair of gears interconnected by a lay-shaft (not shown), each beingin respective meshing engagement with the bell discs 21', serving asgear quadrants. Substitution of a rotary drive to the interconnectingshaft or to one of the synchronizing gears, in place of the linearactuator 45 is contemplated.

It will be noted that the reel bar support arm primary frames are freelyrotatable upwardly for withdrawal from engagement with a reel barsupported on the secondary tracks, substantially independently of thepresence or absence of paper wound on the reel bar.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A reel bar support frame, for use in a reeling machine having a reeldrum rotatable about the main axis thereof and a pair of said supportframes positioned adjacent the ends of said drum in cooperative reel barsupporting arrangement to move a said reel bar between a firstsubstantially upright loading position and a second substantiallyhorizontal withdrawal position, each frame comprising: a primary frameportion pivotally mountable adjacent said reel drum for angular movementrelative thereto in a plane normal to said main axis, having a fixedreel bar contact surface located in a downward facing direction when theframe is in said second position, to permit unrestricted withdrawal ofthe frame from a said reel bar bearing on moving in the direction fromsaid frame second position towards said frame first position; and reelbar bearing keep means mounted on the primary frame portion for movementrelative thereof from a closed position overlying a portion of said reelbar bearing, in which said reel bar bearing is secured to the frame bycontact of the keep means against an outer portion of the bearing remotefrom said fixed contact surface, to an open position in which said reelbar bearing may be loaded on or off the frame, or the frame may besubstantially freely withdrawn from said reel bar hearing by withdrawalmovement in the direction from the frame second position to the framefirst position, whereby withdrawal movement of the support frame may beeffected independently of the wound condition of the reel bar.

2. A reel bar support frame as claimed in claim 1 including means formoving said bearing keep means relative to said primary frame portion,to permit relative movement of a reel bar bearing in response to growthin the diameter of the reel bar wound outer surface.

3. A reel bar support frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein said keepmeans includes a support arm pivotally mounted on said primary frameportion, having a hook portion extending from the support arm in thedirection of the reel drum when in the closed position to controltangential and radially outward movement of a said reel bar relative tosaid primary frame portion, being arranged in a substantially fail-saferelationship to preclude dropping of a said reel bar.

4. A reel bar support frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means formoving said bearing keep means relative to said primary arm meansincludes a fluid operated actuator providing angular movement of saidhearing keep means relative to the primary arm means, and includingpressure relief means permitting radially outward movement of the reelbar bearing relative to the reel drum, whereby the effective diameter ofmaterial wound upon the reel bar is permitted to increase.

5. A reel bar support frame as claimed in claim 1, including actuatormeans in driving relation with said primary frame portion to providerotation thereof relative to said reel drum, whereby a said reel bar maybe selectively moved from said first position, above the reel drum tosaid secondary posilion in substantially horizontal relationship withthe reel drum.

6. A pair of reel bar support frames as claimed in claim 1, incombination with a reeling machine having a pair of pedestals withsubstantially horizontal reel bar support faces positioned above andtowards the oncoming side of the reel drum axis, to permit positioningof a reel bar in a winding position above the reel drum and out ofwinding contact therewith, the disposition of the support faces relativeto the drum and bar being such that rearward displacement of the bar bysaid support frame brings the bar into driven contact with the surfaceof the drum.

7. A reel support frame as claimed in claim 1, includin roller steadymeans rotatably mounted on said bearing keep means in substantiallyopposing relation to the outer contact portion of said keep means, toprovide a primary, radially inward nip loading force against a reel barbearing mounted therein, said outer contact keep portion serving topositively secure a said reel bar bearing in supported relation withsaid reel support frame, in fail-safe relation.

8. A reeling machine, comprising: a reel drum rotatable about the mainaxis thereof; a pair of reel bar support frames mounted for pivotalmovement relative thereto in planes adjacent the ends of said drum andnormal to said main axis, each frame including a pivotally mountedprimary frame portion having a fixed reel bar contact surface located ina downward facing direction when the frame is in a horizontal positionpermitting unrestricted withdrawal of the frame from a said reel bar onmoving the frame upwardly therefrom, and reel bar bearing keep meanspivotally mounted on the primary frame portion for movement relativethereto from a closed position overlying a portion of said reel barbearing in which said reel bar bearing is secured to the primary frameportion by contact of a hook portion of the keep means against an outerportion of the bearing remote from said fixed contact surface, to anopen position in which said reel bar hearing may be loaded on or off theframe may be substantially freely withdrawn from said reel bar bearingby upward withdrawal movement therefrom towards an upright frameposition; a fluid operated actuator mounted on each said primary framefor pivoting the respective keep means relative to the respectiveprimary frame portion; a second actuator for positioning said framesabout said reel drum in cooperation with a synchronizing meansinterconnecting said pair of frames to provide synchronized angularpositioning of said frames relative to the reel drum; pedestal means forsupporting a said reel bar above said reel drum; reel bar drive meansfor accelerating a said reel bar into related rotation with said reeldrum; and secondary track means to receive a said reel bar when releasedfrom said support frames, whereby reeling of paper may be maintainedwhile said reel bar support frames are repositioned to an uprightposition to receive a further reel bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,694,294 6/1963 Kiesel 2423,321,147 5/1967 Martin 24258.6 3,325,118 6/1967 Hall 24258.6 X

LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner.

1. A REEL BAR SUPPORT FRAME, FOR USE IN A REELING MACHINE HAVING A REELDRUM ROTATABLE ABOUT THE MAIN AXIS THEREOF AND A PAIR OF SAID SUPPORTFRAMES POSITIONED ADJACENT THE ENDS OF SAID DRUM IN COOPERATIVE REEL BARSUPPORTING ARRANGEMENT TO MOVE A SAID REEL BAR BETWEEN A FIRSTSUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT LOADING POSITION AND A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTAL WITHDRAWAL POSITION, EACH FRAME COMPRISING: A PRIMARY FRAMEPORTION PIVOTALLY MOUNTABLE ADJACENT SAID REEL DRUM FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENTRELATIVE THERETO IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID MAIN AXIS, HAVING A FIXEDREEL BAR CONTACT SURFACE LOCATED IN A DOWNWARD FACING DIRECTION WHEN THEFRAME IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION, TO PERMIT UNRESTRICTED WITHDRAWAL OFTHE FRAME FROM A SAID REEL BAR BEARING ON MOVING IN THE DIRECTION FROMSAID FRAME SECOND POSITION TOWARDS SAID FRAME FIRST POSITION; AND REELBAR BEARING KEEP MEANS MOUNTED ON THE PRIMARY FRAME PORTION FOR MOVEMENTRELATIVE THEREOF